Justice News

Two Members of Fraud and ID Theft Ring Sentenced

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two members of an identity-theft-and-fraud conspiracy were sentenced today for fraudulently entering into apartment leases and opening bank accounts using the personal information of their victims.

According to court documents, Andraliesha Jefferson, 28, of Reno, Nevada, and Robert McCrickard, 56, of Baltimore, Maryland, used counterfeit drivers’ licenses bearing their photographs and the names and identifying information of their victims to enter into apartment leases in Northern Virginia and the Washington, D.C.-metropolitan area. They then used the “new addresses” associated with the leases to receive debit and credit cards from bank accounts they had fraudulently opened, also using victims’ personal information. Acting under the direction of their ringleader, Michael Oginni, of Rockville, Maryland, the conspirators racked up hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulent charges for luxury goods and gift cards. They also placed high-interest credit-to-debit transfers in the fraudulently acquired bank accounts, which enabled them to withdraw cash. The conspiracy generated $850,000 of fraudulent transactions in just under two years. The criminal scheme victimized over 50 individuals.

Jefferson was sentenced to three years of probation, a sentence which credited her for time she served in a Virginia detention center. McCrickard was sentenced to 31 months of in prison. Another conspirator, Lacola Nickens, was sentenced last week to a one year in prison. Ringleader Michael Oginni will be sentenced in September.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Eric Shen, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura Fong, Alexander P. Berrang, and Maya D. Song prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:17-cr-92 (Jefferson), and 1:17-cr-51 (McCrickard).